Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-11-24
CANNIBALS ON THE CONGO.
A Man Who Has Eaten Eight Wives.
T,0ndan News

It is an open question whether cann1-
balism is really a vice of any tribe In the
regions of the Congo, though evidence
of it crops up now and then IN second
hand way that is regarded as sufficient by
some travellers to take the custom as eS
tabished. Mr.. Stanley, OF his second
journey through the Dark Continent, at
village named Kampunzu, found two
rows of skulls along the entire length
of the village, imbedded about two inches
in the ground, the cerebral heInis pheres"
bleachsd and glistening white
from the weather. He was told they were
he skulls of the ''sokos"-ohim panzees--
otherwise called "meat of the forest %
The Chief said the bodies had been eaten
"What kind of thing is the 'nyana,' or
meat of the forest, as you call itp" Stan
les asked. at is about the size of this
boy pointing to one of Stanley's atten-
dants, four four feet ten inches in height
and walks like man; goes about with
stick, with which it beats the forest, and
makes hideous noises. 1t eats bananas,
and we hunt it kill it and eat it," Itwas
further described as very good food.
Stanley offered a reward for one of these
animals but it was found impossible to
kill one before several days should pass.
Stanley had not time to wait for en- ex-
ample of the nyama, but he brought
away several skulls of the alleged Chin
panzee. which Prof. Huxley pronounced
to be those of negroes of the ordinary
African type; npon which Mr.. Stanley
remarks: Prof. Huxley, by this deci
sion, startles me with the proof that
Kampupzu's people were cannibals, for
at least one-half of the number of skulls
l., IL
which had been driven into the head
while the victims were alive"
Mr.. Ward not only takes it for granted
that cannibalism is a reality among GER
tain tribes of Central Africa, but he sends
me the portrait of we'll known cannibal
of Bangala, who is reputed to have eaten
Gig ut of his wives; and he also forwards
me set of implements that have been
used at cannibalistic feasts. They con-
sist of two spoons and a curious fork. 1t
may be noted IL favor of the statement
that there is no doubt as to the authen-
ITCHY of these things that they are by
far the most primitive of all the articles
of native manufacture which L have re-
ceived. They are crude and ugly enough
in shape and design to be the product of
the most barbarous tribe, and if canni
ballsm is Central African custom, one
can quite imagine that these might well
be the knives and forks of a cannibalis
tic feast Natives ON the Congo cearged
the expedition of Stanley himself with
cannibalism. He was seriously obstruct-
ed, believe, more than once by the
spread of report that the white men
were cannibals. The natives here and
there had such terrible experience from
the raids of Arab slavedealers that they
might be forgiven for crediting strangers
with any crime, though it is odd thet
they should select tbs vice of caunibalism
as the special cruelty they night expect
at the hands of white men. Ward, in
one of the letter, mentions an instance
of natives running away at sight of his
party, the women more particularly
making off with their children.